


Choose Your Adventure: Permission

by PiscesDragon



Series: Choose Your Adventure [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Are they or aren't they, Choose Your Own Ending, Jeith (one-sided), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-06 23:18:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19072705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiscesDragon/pseuds/PiscesDragon
Summary: Shiro gets a visit from Lt. James Griffin about something completely unexpected:“I don’t want to overstep. And I apologize for how this may come across, but I really need to ask,” Griffin took a fortifying breath and stared at the top of Shiro’s desk to avoid his eyes. “What’s the nature of your relationship with Paladin Kogane?”First story in the Choose Your Own Adventure series -- read this first and then pick which ending you want to read!





	Choose Your Adventure: Permission

**Author's Note:**

> So after I got the idea for this fic, I realized I couldn't decide on how to end it. There were two really good options, and I liked both of them! Then I remembered those 'Choose Your Adventure' books I loved as a kid (if you don't know what those are, I'm just old) and figured I would just write both and let people choose which one they liked!
> 
> All of the stories can be read as a stand-alone, too.
> 
> As always, thanks to DropsOfAutumn for proofreading for me!

“Captain?”

At the sound of an unexpected knock, Shiro looked up to see Lt. Griffin standing awkwardly in his open doorway.

“Lieutenant,” Shiro greeted. He waved at him to come in as he finished signing the document on his data pad and set it down on his desk. “Nice to see you. What can I do for you?”

Shiro watched as Griffin closed the door behind him, curiosity piqued as to what he needed to discuss that required privacy. They had finally established peace in the universe - a miracle unto itself - and had been assisting with recovery on Earth as well as in other planetary systems. There had been no news of unrest or issues that would require delicate handling as far as Shiro knew. As Captain of the Atlas, he was privy to the highest clearance regarding such matters and usually the first to know if there was trouble. 

Concern stirred in Shiro’s stomach at the possibility the officer had come to deliver bad news.

“Well, sir,” Griffin started, standing stiff at attention except for his hands which worried each other nervously in front of him. “I’m not exactly sure how to broach this.”

_ A personal matter then, _ guessed Shiro. That was much less concerning. Griffin has been working like a fiend alongside the other MFE’s for months now. He was long overdue to be asking for some time off. 

Assuming he knew the topic at hand, Shiro arranged his face into a neutral mask and replied, “Whatever it is, I’m sure between the two of us we can get it sorted out.”

“I’d like to ask… There’s someone on board…” Griffin was clearly flustered, running a hand down his face. He eyeballed the chair in front of him. “Permission to sit, sir?”

Shiro swallowed a laugh and held out his hand toward the chair in front of his desk. Griffin let out a long breath and sunk into the chair, seemingly trying to locate his courage to discuss whatever was bothering him. 

James nervous behavior reminded Shiro of old movies, where the boy asked a girl’s father for permission to take her out. He was completely at a loss as to what  could possibly be going on to have the normally composed officer so unsteady. This couldn’t possibly be about vacation time.

“I have an… action… I’d like to take, sir,” Griffin stuttered. “But before I do, I need information. I’ve tried for a while to get said information, but neither I nor anyone else on board seems to be able to figure it out.”

“Well, I can’t imagine I have any more knowledge than anyone else on this ship, but I’m happy to help if I can,” Shiro said, trying to appear open and approachable. 

Quite frankly, the man’s anxiousness was beginning to concern him. While he appreciated that James always made a point to be professional and respectful with him, Shiro sometimes wished he would relax a little.

It was hard to have a personal conversation with someone while they were busy kissing your ass.

“Permission to speak freely, sir,” Griffin suddenly blurted. His hands gripped the top of his knees like a vise.

Shiro had seen this man go into battle with nerves of steel, and yet whatever he was on about had the man completely off the rails. He answered gruffly, “For the love of God, Griffin, spit it out already.”

“I don’t want to overstep. And I apologize for how this may come across, but I really need to ask,” Griffin took a fortifying breath and stared at the top of Shiro’s desk to avoid his eyes. “What’s the nature of your relationship with Paladin  Kogane ?”

Shiro faltered.   


Whatever Shiro had been expecting to come out of Griffin’s mouth,  _ this  _ was not it. His reaction must have shown on his face - he watched Griffin’s eyes widen with apprehension as he held his hands together more tightly in his lap, the knuckles on his hands turning white.

Shiro was stunned into silence for a moment, which seemed to make Griffin’s face turn a light shade of green. He didn’t need the poor man getting ill in his office, regardless of the reasons for his question. At the same time, of all the things he could ask Shiro, the one thing he wanted to know was also something Shiro didn’t have a straightforward answer for.

He stalled, “I’m not really sure what you mean.”

“Look,” Griffin said roughly with the demeanor of a man who’d just decided he was jumping off the cliff while standing at the edge of it, “I just need to know - Are the two of you… together? I know it’s not my business, or anyone’s, and I’m sorry to even ask. It’s just… You’re my CO and I don’t want to step on any toes…”

“ _ What _ ?” There was absolutely no way for Shiro to keep the disbelief from coloring his voice.

Griffin was so caught up in his own situation he completely missed Shiro’s distress. “No one - and I mean no one - can give me a straight answer. Not even the other paladins. It seems like it should be a simple answer - either you’re together or you’re not. But nobody on this entire ship seems to know. There’s even an impressive betting pool on it - not that I’ve joined in on that. I promise, I’m not here to win a bet, sir.”

Shiro blinked, still trying to process the information being thrown at him like a particle bomb. Griffin, or the whole ship apparently, thought he and Keith were involved. Together. Dating.

Or not.

The state of their relationship was — ambiguous?

_ People were gambling over this?! _

He could have just answered the question. Shiro knew that, objectively. But the strategist in him wanted more information before he gave anything away.

Shiro’s brain was still not fully on-line as he asked, rather more bluntly than he should have, “Why do you care?”

“I was... going to ask Keith out,” Griffin explained with a sigh, blood rushing to his cheeks. “But the last thing I need is to piss off my CO by chasing after his boyfriend.”

Well, damn. That was blunt.

“Sorry, sir,” Griffin added. He was nothing if not a damn boy scout.

Shiro ran a hand through his colorless hair, internally debating the quandary. He didn’t want to answer honestly, but he would hate himself for screwing over Keith if he didn’t.

He fell back on stalling tactics. “What makes people think we’re together?”

“Sir,” Griffin said, looking at Shiro with an eyebrow quirked as if he was a complete moron. “Seriously?”

Shiro gave him a dubious look. “I wouldn’t ask if I knew the answer, now would I?”

“Fine,” Griffin huffed as if the energy it required of him to explain this was more than he was capable of. “You’re always together.  Always . The two of you finish each other’s sentences and can read what the other one needs before they even seem to know it themselves. It’s creepy.”

Shiro’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, so Griffin explained, “At our meeting yesterday, you didn’t have a pen. You had just started looking around for one and before anyone else could even realize you  _ needed  _ a pen, Keith was handing you one. Stuff like that. Happens ALL the time.”

“Well, Keith and I have known each other a long time,” Shiro defended. “And when you’ve fought side by side with someone like that, I guess you come to anticipate when they need help.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve worked with Kinkade a long time too, and I’ve yet to see him read my tells that well. I can see where that would be convenient though.”

“So we know each other extremely well,” Shiro said smoothly. “Keith IS my best friend. I don’t see why that makes people think we’re involved.”

“Sh-sir,” Griffin caught himself, unable to make his mouth use his CO’s name casually, especially while sitting in his office with his boss at his desk. “The way the two of you look at each other sometimes… Keith’s still a cadet when it comes to you.”

Shiro had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“He looks at you the same way he did before you all left, back when he was a cadet. Like you hung the moon. There were rumors - before - about the two of you --”

“Rumors?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t hear them. Mostly derogatory toward Keith, about what… personal favors he was doing for you to be showing such an interest in him.” Griffin gave an apologetic look at the anger prevalent on Shiro’s face. “ Some people thought he was the reason you and Officer West broke things off before Kerberos.”

Shock tore through Shiro as he gripped the bottom of his desk to prevent Griffin from seeing his hands shake. “ _ What _ ?”

“You asked, sir,” Griffin replied, his voice steady.

“Well, that’s... That’s  _ not  _ true,” Shiro stated firmly. He hated the fact that anyone would think he had taken advantage of Keith when he was younger. “He was a kid. We were friends, sure, but…”

“Sir, you’ve been together in space for a long time,” Griffin said, face soft as if asking for forgiveness. “And he’s certainly not a kid anymore. You  _ are _ very close. So… I had to ask.”

Shiro took a deep breath and let it out slowly. How in the hell should he answer this?

“Just so we’re clear, Lieutenant, this really is none of your business.”

“Agreed, sir,” Griffin answered with a nod of his head. But still he looked at Shiro expectantly, waiting for some type of confirmation or denial.

Shiro sat on the knife’s edge considering his options, certain that however he decided to handle the situation was going to lead him into hot water. There was nothing for it - no right answer. And ultimately, he could not deny he was always a selfish man when it came to Keith.

Shiro stared Griffin down for a minute, clasping his hands together on the desk with a stern look. Finally, he said slowly, “I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to pursue your intended action.”

He watched with undignified glee as Griffin deflated a little in his chair. The disappointment was clear on his face as Griffin responded, “Yes, sir.”

Shiro almost felt like he should apologize to the poor man — almost. As it was, their conversation had given him a lot to think about, and he’d hit the point where he  _ really  _ didn’t want to have to look at Griffin for one more minute.

“Anything else you need, Lieutenant?” Shiro asked, straightening up in his chair and giving Griffin an authoritative stare.

Griffin looked up and shook himself out of his obviously distracted thoughts. Coming back to himself and his environment, he jumped up from the chair and answered, “No, sir. Thank you, sir. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

“Not a problem,” Shiro replied. He watched as Griffin gave a salute and then quickly scampered out of his office, eager to escape.

The fingers of his  Altean hand began to knead gently at his forehead, as Shiro tried to decide exactly how to deal with the problem Lt. Griffin had unknowingly dropped in his lap.   
  


***Now YOU get to decide how the story ends!

\- If you want to read something LIGHT AND FLUFFY - go to the “Fluffy Ending” story in this series!

\- If you want to read ANGST - go to the “Angsty Ending” story

 

Or read both of them if you want!

**Author's Note:**

> I always love comments and kudos!


End file.
